INX-315, a selective CDK2 inhibitor, induces cell cycle arrest and senescence in solid tumors

Abstract Cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) is thought to play an important role in driving proliferation of certain cancers, including those harboring CCNE1 amplification and breast cancers that have acquired resistance to CDK4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i). The precise impact of pharmacological inhibition of CDK2 is not known due to the lack of selective CDK2 inhibitors. Here we describe INX-315, a novel and potent CDK2 inhibitor with high selectivity over other CDK family members. Using cell-based assays, patient-derived xenografts, and transgenic mouse models, we show that INX-315 (i) promotes retinoblastoma protein hypo-phosphorylation and therapy-induced senescence (TIS) in CCNE1-amplified tumors, leading to durable control of tumor growth; (ii) overcomes breast cancer resistance to CDK4/6i, restoring cell cycle control whilst re-instating the chromatin architecture of CDK4/6i-induced TIS; and (iii) delays the onset of CDK4/6i resistance in breast cancer by driving deeper suppression of E2F targets. Our results support the clinical development of selective CDK2 inhibitors.